GSA Advantage Is a Preferred Platform For Government Agencies & an Useful Platform For Contractors

GSA Advantage Is a Preferred Platform For Government Agencies & an Useful Platform For Contractors

  • Sep 01, 2022
  • BOB STEGER

The federal market of the United States is highly competitive because a large number of federal contractors compete in the market to obtain government contracts. Connecting with the buyers is the ultimate goal of federal contractors. The main customers of federal contractors are the government agencies in the federal market. So in order to sell products and services in the federal market, contractors or commercial companies need to connect with government agencies.

Federal agencies procure goods and services from federal contractors in systematic ways. There are multiple official government websites from where federal agencies choose contractors and buy items. These government websites are developed to connect federal contractors with government agencies. As a result, these websites are considered online marketplaces.

The General Service Administration (GSA) of the United States is an agency that is responsible for managing federal property and provides contracting options to government agencies. By obtaining GSA certification companies can get government contracting opportunities because the government agencies prefer to buy products and services from GSA-certified companies through a procurement process. As a result, selling goods and services to government agencies becomes easier for commercial companies by obtaining GSA certification.

In this blog, we are going to discuss GSA Advantage and how it serves federal contractors and government agencies.

What is GSA Advantage?

Basically, GSA Advantage is an official website of the U.S. government which is run by the General Service Administration (GSA). The website is also considered an online catalog because the site contains a GSA catalog where GSA-certified companies can upload products and services to showcase and sell to government agencies.

It is an online federal marketplace where government agencies get to choose suitable contractors, products, and services. Government agencies get numerous contractors to compare and choose the best one according to the requirements. The federal contractors list their products and services in the directory of the GSA Advantage. Procuring goods and services from federal contractors becomes easier and less time-consuming for government agencies. The prices and descriptions of the products and services are mentioned so that the buyers can compare and make purchases that are suitable enough.

It is said that the GSA Advantage is an e-commerce site for government agencies and federal contractors.

Things that are available on GSA Advantage

In the online GSA catalog, you will find numerous products and services offered by numerous contractors who are your competitors. Over a million visitors use the GSA Advantage every week and over 30,000 orders are placed. In the category, provider, and descriptive terms you can search for goods and services.

The GSA Advantage is a platform that is a valuable resource for the federal contractors of the United States. By using the online site as a federal contractor you will be able to know about the government procurement process precisely. You will be able to see the prices of your competitors who are in the same industry. It will help you to figure out whether your items are competitive or not. You can filter your search in the platform by selecting one of the following categories.

  • Building & Industrial
  • Electronics & Technology
  • Facilities & Supplies
  • Furniture & Furnishings
  • Janitorial & Sanitation Supplies FSSI (BIC)
  • Law Enforcement, Fire, Security
  • Maintenance, Repair & Operations FSSI (BIC)
  • Office Equipment
  • Office Supplies
  • Office Supplies & Equipment FSSI (BIC)
  • Products
  • Scientific & Medical
  • Services
  • Tools, Paint, & Recreational
  • Vehicles & Equipment

Know about GSA online catalog

On GSA Advantage you will be able to access the GSA online catalog. All the federal contractors or we can say commercial companies of the United States get listed in the directory of the GSA Advantage with valid information about the entity, goods, and services. Due to all these factors, the site is considered an e-commerce site for federal agencies. Full information of products and services is given in the online GSA catalog. The information of products and services includes:

  • Photographs
  • Descriptions
  • GSA-approved pricing

All this information is uploaded by federal contractors. The items that federal contractors sell get displayed on the GSA online catalog. Government agencies browse through the list to find suitable products and services.

How GSA Advantage is useful to the GSA Schedule contractors? 

The GSA Schedule contractors often search for marketplaces to sell products and services to government agencies. Keeping that in mind, the government of the United States has developed several online platforms from which federal contractors can obtain government contracts to sell goods and services to federal agencies.

Federal contractors can use GSA Advantage as a tool to showcase their goods and services to government agencies. The first thing that contractors can do after creating a profile on GSA Advantage is to get themselves listed in the directory. Remember, it is an online marketplace so as a contractor you will need to compete with others to win businesses. You can list different types of products and services to offer to government agencies. Selling to government agencies is easier for federal contractors on this platform because the prices of goods and services are pre-negotiated. So there is no need to go through a lengthy process of negotiation with the buyers. Showcase your entity and items properly to government agencies. Upload detailed information about the products and services so that government agencies are able to understand your offerings. The government also utilizes this platform to compare prices of the goods and services that they are going to purchase so make sure to keep a competitive price range in order to attract buyers and obtain government contracts. Make sure to list your products and services that are in high demand in the federal market. Also, put items that are suitable for government agencies.

On GSA Advantage the products and services are sold through GSA/VA Schedule Contracts, Global Supply Chain, and Special Order Program of the GSA.

The government agencies utilize the GSA online catalog to make necessary purchases

For all federal, state, and municipal entities, GSA Advantage is considered a reliable site to procure goods and services. On a daily basis, government entities require various kinds of goods and services and the site provides a wide range of items to those entities. GSA uses a system known as SINs to categorize all the goods and services that are listed on this site. The term SIN stands for Special Item Number which is an identifier for products of federal contractors.

Make preparation to get your company on GSA Advantage

You will need to figure out if your company is eligible and qualify for GSA Schedule contracts to obtain those. So at the very beginning make sure to meet the eligibility criteria of the General Service Administration (GSA). You will need to collect all the required documents, register for certain programs of the U.S. government and obtain the necessary certifications to acquire GSA contracts.

Make preparations and follow a systematic process by identifying all the essential factors to get on GSA Advantage.  Once you have obtained a contract you must register your contract with the Vendor Support Center.

Steps to get listed on GSA Advantage

So, now you know that you can get your company’s products and services listed on the GSA Advantage website. Now the question is how to get listed on directory of the GSA Advantage website. You will need to register your business with the General Service Administration (GSA) for acquiring GSA Schedule contracts. There are some particular steps that you will need to take for registering your business.

  • Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier for your entity. 
  • Get a North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for your company.
  • Verify your status as a small business on the Small Business Administration (SBA).
  • Also, make sure to register your company with the System for Award Management.

Conclusion

By now hopefully, you have got a complete idea about GSA Advantage. You got to know how GSA Advantage helps federal contractors and government agencies. It is a preferred platform for government agencies for procuring goods and services so that is why you should take advantage of GSA Advantage to showcase your entity and items to attract buyers. It will help you to obtain GSA Schedule contracts easily without negotiating with government agencies. So wait no more, and get your products and services on the directory of GSA Advantage and win business from government agencies.

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